Keys Coast Guard hosts Caribbean partners

When it comes to combating transnational criminal organizations in the Caribbean and securing America’s borders, the cooperation with partner nations thrives, the U.S. Coast Guard says.

This relationship was tangible as representatives from Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, Bahamas, and the United States gathered at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West earlier this month to exchange ideas, best practices and maintenance concepts for short-range patrol craft and coastal security boats.

“Every time we gather with our partners, we walk away with a greater awareness of the challenges each one faces when it comes to ship’s maintenance.” said Lt. Cmdr. Sonia Miller, a supply and logistics officer with the Royal Bahamas Defense Force.

“We are a multi-mission service much like the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Lt. Cmdr. Rajesh Boodoo, an engineering officer with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard. “The exchange of ideas and knowledge between all our partners is critical to effectively combat drug and human trafficking but also improves our abilities in search and rescue, and coastal security operations.”

Standardization was an evident theme at the gathering as U.S. Coast Guard representatives discussed and shared lessons learned from initiatives in their service. Standards for training, maintenance and logistics procedures eliminate confusion when members transfer between units, said one of the U.S. Coast Guard officers participating in the exchange.

The U.S. Coast Guard Western Hemisphere Strategy cites globalization as a driving force for greater interdependence among nations and regions to combat drug-related violence and trafficking, and terrorism.

This was provided by U.S. Coast Guard District 7’s Lt. Cmdr. Ryan P. Kelley.

This story was originally published March 25, 2017 at 9:17 AM with the headline "Keys Coast Guard hosts Caribbean partners."